Party, party, we like to party!

Last Monday my sweet friend Lauren had a little Pumpkin Party for a small group of kids. She is such a hostess and throws the most precious kid party's. We were out of town this weekend so I didn't get costumes for the girls to wear this year. So, when we got the invitation in the mail with instructions to wear costumes I had to quickly come up with two little outfits. Of course Ashlyn was easy, just let her wear her normal around the house get up! And Aubrey got a cute little pumkin jump suit for her birthday. I didn't get pictures of them together before heading out the door. I told Ashlyn I wanted to take a picture of her in her ballerina outfit and she told me no. When I asked why she told me that Miss Lauren would take her picture. (Lauren takes amazing pictures) She's such a stinker!

The kids made a cute ghost picture with their hand print. It's on canvas so it can be displayed every year. So fun!


Then we all enjoyed "mummy hot dogs", cheetos, and cupcakes!




Poor Aubrey girl, wanting in on the action. Maybe next year little pumpkin!

A Fall Dinner

Today was pretty cool and overcast. I was so glad I put Taco Soup on the menu for today when I made my menu last week and also had all the ingredients to make a new pumpkin bread recipe. The perfect meal for a chilly day!


Paula Deen's Taco Soup

2lb Ground beef
2 Cups diced onion
2 Cans Pinto beans
1 Can light kidney beans
1 Can corn, drained
1 Can Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 Can chopped tomatoes
1 Can tomatoes with chiles
2 Cans diced green chiles
1 Packet Taco seasoning
1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix

Brown ground beef and onion together until beef is cooked through. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low in crockpot for 6 hours or on stove on a low simmer for 1 hour.
Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, and jalapenos.



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

2 ½ cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans or three 8×4-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together canned pumpkin, oil, eggs and 2/3 cup water until well combined and stir into dry ingredients, just until the dry ingredients are moistened and no dry streaks remain. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter in prepared pans.

Bake the bread for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edge of the bread and turn the bread out, right side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely.

*Recipe taken from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Both girls gobbled up the Pumpkin bread! The fact that pumpkin is so good for you makes me feel better about serving them dessert tonight. Plus the big grin Aubrey flashed me when she placed the first piece in her mouth made her momma's heart melt.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun...

Friday morning I woke up and it was 7:20. (Phillip is usually up and out the door by then!) Everyone in the house was still asleep! I panicked a bit and asked Phillip if he knew what time it was. He moaned yes and dozed off for a couple minutes. After the sleepy fog wore off he told me he took the day off. I started laughing but he was totally serious. He had taken the day off to watch the girls because he was sending me on a surprise trip with a couple of my girlfriends! I was in total shock! I quickly got up and started packing!

Katy and Lauren picked me up a couple hours later and we were off for a relaxing weekend of shopping, eating, movies, and more shopping! We had a blast!

Friday we ate a wonderful lunch, shopped, drove through Starbucks, shopped some more, ate a yummy dinner then went to a movie. We went to a late movie and saw Life As We Know It. It was a fun movie! I cried several times. Not a good choice for a mommy who is away from her girls and away from her baby for the first time. After the movie we relaxed in our room and chatted into the wee hours of the night.

Saturday morning we woke up too early! I guess when your daily wake up call for the past 4 years has been 7am, you automatically wake up at 7. Oh well! After a hot breakfast we headed out for more shopping. We grabbed a quick lunch of burgers and shakes that afternoon and got back home just in time to kiss our babies good night.

It was such a surprise, I had absolutely no clue! Phillip was so sweet to plan it for me. It was a much needed break after a crazy year of adjusting to caring for two babies and many many business trips and late work nights for daddy.

Phillip has always respected my role as a stay at home mom and understands it's not a walk in the park but after this weekend I think he now loves his job in the real world even more!

Some of my favorite quotes from Phillip when I got home:

"Yea, they were good. But all the attention they want just got annoying."

"You wake up and all is great then you realize you have to find something semi-healthy for them to eat. We eat breakfast and all is good but then you realize you have to clean up all the mess. Then they want you to entertain them. But it gets better because Aubrey takes a nap. But Ashlyn is still up. Then Aubrey wakes up and then you realize you have to make them lunch now. Then you have to clean up their lunch mess. Then finally they both take a nap. Then they wake up and want a snack."

"Ashlyn stood outside the shower the whole time talking and begging to take a shower too." (FYI Dads: Moms don't get to shower or poop in peace)

(He and Lauren's husband met at McDonald's for dinner Saturday night) "I guess we had a good time, we just wanted out of the house"

I'm pretty sure Phillip now understands that my rants and tears are very much warranted and legitimate and not just signs of a near mental break down! Ha! He did a wonderful job while I was gone! The dishes were washed and the girls were bathed and dressed when I got home. He proved he could successfully care for two girls by himself for nearly two days but I'm pretty sure he's gonna be sprinting across the parking lot tomorrow morning ready to return to his regular job!

Cause the Grandparents get antsy when I don't post...

I haven't had much to blog about lately. We haven't been up to anything exciting, not like we usually lead exciting lives.

Ashlyn has been such a sweet heart lately. She comes and tells me at least six times a day that she loves me! It melts my heart!
She is loving school! She has three little buddies that she hangs out with. Her and one of her little girl friends always give each other silly hugs at the end of the day. I think it's been good for her to interact with other kids and be apart from me several hours each week. It's also nice for me to be able to run errands with just one kid in tow. I went to Walmart the other day with both girls and realized how easy it's been with just Aubrey the past month. Ashlyn is a very good shopper and well behaved but I talk constantly.
Come on honey... Stand close to the basket so they can pass by... No, we don't need more of that... Yes, those apples look good... Don't take that one out or they'll all fall on the floor... Yes, you can get more yogurt... Stay by me please... Stand over here out of the lady's way...
Whew! It's wears a momma out quick!

Aubrey is cutting two top teeth. Bless her heart, it seems the past six months has been one big teething session. Those mean things don't give her much of a break. So far they aren't as bad as her last two.
She is going through a little learning spurt. She is catching on to a lot of new things, it's cute. She has finally decided signing is a good form or communication. She will sign more, all done, eat, and sometimes thank you. She also says more "ma" and done "da-don" while she is signing. She said both words in one lunch sitting. She is also starting to really put things together in her little world. She will try to brush her hair, attempt to put her bib on, and pour her tea pitcher into her cups. I love watching their little faces when their minds are trying to figure stuff out. So cute!

It's fun watching how the girls interact differently as Aubrey gets older. Ashlyn is still protective of her prized possessions (blankie, lambie, and her doll house toys) because Aubrey gets "slobber" all over them. And Aubrey gets quite upset if Ashlyn sits in my lap. She will try to push her off and scoot her diaper bottom on in. But all in all they play well together. They managed to pull Phillip's garment travel bag out from under our bed where I store it the other day. Ashlyn so proudly announced that "me and Aubrey worked together to get it out". Oh boy, it's the start of many "working togethers"!

Drinking milk together

When they sit next to each other, I think they look alike. But their baby pictures are so much different.

Ashlyn- 12 months

Aubrey- 12 months

And on a completely different subject. Did you know that you can hem jeans and actually make them look good? I have the hardest time finding jeans. Any woman will tell you they hate shopping for jeans because the fit varies widely from one pair to the next. I absolutely hate shopping for jeans because I also have to factor in my short legs. Petite pants are too short and regulars are way to long. Well, I found this tutorial on line a coupe weeks ago on how to hem jeans and keep the original hem. So I bought a pair of jeans that fit except for the hem and tried it out. It works amazingly! This has pretty much revolutionized by jean buying experience!

3 bits of random information

1.
We have not done much this past week. I have spent what seems like hours switching out the girls closets. Maybe because it has been hours. I've unboxed, washed, folded, hung, boxed, and sorted until I am tired of looking at clothes. I knew better than to pack away Ashlyn's clothes while she was at home. We had to have a mini therapy session over packing her beloved summer dresses. She loves dresses, she does not like jeans much, but loves leggings. Thank goodness leggings with long tops are in style or I would be in a world of trouble this winter. Ashlyn loved going through all her old baby clothes I pulled out for Aubrey. The girls are a little off on their sizes but thankfully I have still been able to use a lot of what I saved from Ashlyn. Now that the sizes start spreading out more it will be much easier to match their sizes and seasons.


2.
Have I mentioned how messy Aubrey is when she eats? And, she hates to be cleaned up!


And the signature dinner time look...



3.
Apparently Ashlyn is a little sweet on a boy in her MDO class. His name is Eli and he is her "best buddy". Apparently he is silly, or at least that's what we've been told. I guess that's what every three year old looks for in a "man". Oh boy, pass me a paper sack and daddy a shot gun!